Yeah, looks like the battle is on between Adelina and Christina for the gold, and the next 3 or 4 for the bronze. Ira Vannut was a nice surprise, but given her low PCS, I doubt she will be too much of a factor in the LP unless the 3 above her all skate below par.

This JGP looks way more competitive in ladies than the previous two! Let's hope the LP will not be a spatfest like the last one!

I sort of think the top 3 will stay the way they are now. Fujisawa and Charbonneau will likely pull up, Pfrengle probably can too. Davis may drop a bit because of her limited technical content, but I see her finishing from 4th to 6th at this event, maybe even 3rd depending on what others do. Adelina can definitely win if she's clean, but if she has a couple falls and Gao goes clean, it could go either way.

I watched Christina's SP and it looked pretty good. Her 3-3 was beautiful, the loop looked okay (although her entrance is awkward), and her double axel was a little low but clean. I definitely think her toe jumps are better than her edge jumps. Loved her footwork and edges throughout. Spins still need work though, the layback traveled in the beginning and the biellman (and donut) kills her speed. Probably a bit of first international competition nerves, but I'm glad she pulled off the 3-3. I think not being in the lead will be good for her in the LP.

I haven't really seen Adelina, how is her consistency? Although it's probably not likely with Polina Agafonova currently in 3rd, I hope Li Zijun pulls up for bronze. It sounds like she did well except for the freak fall in the footwork.

To this point, Adelina's been a skater who tends to do better in her SPs than her LPs. But even if she does poorly in her LPs, she does tend to rotate all her triples. She definitely goes for it. I think the competition is hers for the taking. The judges obviously loved her, and she has better spins, flexibility and jump technique than Gao. She just needs to skate as close to clean as possible, because Gao is obviously very good.

Last year, she was having a lot of trouble due to the fact that she was getting taller, but her jumps always get a lot of height and she is very charismatic (which Christina isn't as much).

Wow Zijun looks so tall now! She improved so much over the summer. I think Mingzhu Li has done a great job with her. I thought she did a better job at presenting the program at S/Z's show earlier though. She just looked out of it after the fall. But good job for landing all the jumps! She would've definitely challenged Agafonova if it weren't for the fall.

To this point, Adelina's been a skater who tends to do better in her SPs than her LPs. But even if she does poorly in her LPs, she does tend to rotate all her triples. She definitely goes for it. I think the competition is hers for the taking. The judges obviously loved her, and she has better spins, flexibility and jump technique than Gao. She just needs to skate as close to clean as possible, because Gao is obviously very good.

Last year, she was having a lot of trouble due to the fact that she was getting taller, but her jumps always get a lot of height and she is very charismatic (which Christina isn't as much).

I agree. If both girls are clean Adelina will likely come out on top. Christina is usually pretty consistent in the LP though so Adelina probably can't afford to make too many mistakes if she wants to win, 1 fall might be okay but if she falls 2 times then Gao could probably win if she skates well.

She reminds me of Min-Jung Kwak, although it might just be the costume, her very slender build, and great flexibility. This girl has a very nice presence.

She does resemble Min-Jung's look on the ice, but I think Li Zijun is bubblier and more charismatic (at least in this program and her old Snow White and the Seven Dwarves one). Is Min-Jung on the senior circuit this season?

She does resemble Min-Jung's look on the ice, but I think Li Zijun is bubblier and more charismatic (at least in this program and her old Snow White and the Seven Dwarves one). Is Min-Jung on the senior circuit this season?

Yes, Min-Jung is scheduled to attend Cup of China and Skate America. Wishing her the best and a speedy recovery!

Adelina is amazing. Everything about her skating is beautiful and finished, she may be the next Yuna Kim, she really doesn't have any weaknesses in her skating! About puberty, her jump technique is solid so that should help, and even though she is tiny, she actually looks like she's grown quite a bit since last season. ISU bio says 155 cm, so she might not actually get much taller, a lot of the Russian female skaters in the past have been pretty petite.

Adelina is definitely the most complete package of all the Russian ladies, in terms of her raw abilities. If she skates clean, she should win every time.

Poor Zijun, she looked stunned when she fell in that entrance to the spin. She was skating so well before that. Mingzhu Li has done a good job with her, and I like Karen Kwan's choreography on her. I think she has a good chance of placing 4th, and possibly winning a bronze in the LP if she skates clean. She has grown so much taller, all limbs now -- she looks good. I'm glad that all the growth has not thrown off her jumps so far.